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The Beach
The Beach | Alex Garland
76 posts | 123 read | 69 to read
The Khao San Road, Bangkok -- first stop for the hordes of rootless young Westerners traveling in Southeast Asia. On Richard's first night there, in a low-budget guest house, a fellow traveler slashes his wrists, bequeathing to Richard a meticulously drawn map to "the Beach."The Beach, as Richard has come to learn, is the subject of a legend among young travelers in Asia: a lagoon hidden from the sea, with white sand and coral gardens, freshwater falls surrounded by jungle, plants untouched for a thousand years. There, it is rumored, a carefully selected international few have settled in a communal Eden.Haunted by the figure of Mr. Duck -- the name by which the Thai police have identified the dead man -- and his own obsession with Vietnam movies, Richard sets off with a young French couple to an island hidden away in an archipelago forbidden to tourists. They discover the Beach, and it is as beautiful and idyllic as it is reputed to be. Yet over time it becomes clear that Beach culture, as Richard calls it, has troubling, even deadly, undercurrents.Spellbinding and hallucinogenic, The Beach by Alex Garland -- both a national bestseller andhis debut--isa highly accomplished and suspenseful novel thatfixates on a generation in their twenties, who, burdened with the legacy of the preceding generation and saturated by popular culture, long for an unruined landscape, but find it difficult to experience the world firsthand.
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MommyOfTwo
The Beach | Alex Garland
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@BarkingMadRead thank you so much for the wonderful package. I forgot that The Beach was a book! I remember seeing the movie in the theater way back when it came out. Hope to read it soon.
Also thank you to @Avanders and @Chrissyreadit for hosting.
#fffs #fallingforfallswap

BarkingMadRead I hope you love it! The Silent Patient is so so good! 1mo
Chrissyreadit 🍁🧡🍁 1mo
Avanders 😍🍁🍎🍂♥️ 1mo
26 likes3 comments
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Lizwarnerpdx
The Beach | Alex Garland
Mehso-so

I watched the movie years ago & remember liking it, but also being a bit haunted by it. I could not get into the book though…it was like reading through the movie in slow motion. If I hadn‘t seen the movie I think I‘d like the book. For now though I think I‘ll just re-Watch the movie.

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5feet.of.fury
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Panpan

Not good
It‘s written like a travel journal but the MC doesn‘t write travel journals. Backpacking through Asia the MC is given a map to a secret island (by a man called Daffy Duck). He &his friends miss about 100 opportunities to leave their new found utopia as it starts to go sideways. The ending was so weird.
The blurbs say it‘s the pinnacle GenX experience, but like… it‘s just a bunch of references to movies about the Vietnam War & Super Mario?

RamsFan1963 I remember seeing, and disliking, the movie version with Leonardo DeCaprio. The movie made no sense, so I guess the book is pretty much the same. 3mo
5feet.of.fury @RamsFan1963 I haven‘t seen the movie, but the book started off well…. Then, was a whole lotta nothing. Did he keep talking to Daffy in the movie? ..what was that all about? 😂 3mo
RamsFan1963 @5feet.of.fury Its been about 20 years since I saw the movie, so I don't remember much. Lots of scenes of Leo on the beach, staring out to sea, looking brooding, deep in thought. 3mo
5feet.of.fury @RamsFan1963 yeah there a lot of that, & really mundane expositions of fishing and rolling joints 3mo
IMASLOWREADER didnt read the book but saw the movie…enjoyed it…kinda had the lord of the flies feel to it 3mo
31 likes5 comments
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TheSpineView
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Perfect 👍🏻 5mo
Eggs Excellent 👌🏼 5mo
58 likes1 stack add4 comments
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GinaKButler
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Up next…it‘s on my 12 in ‘24 list!

#bookspinbingo
Book 1 of #14books14weeks

5feet.of.fury I‘ll be starting that one soon! I wanted to save it for a beach day! 5mo
GinaKButler @5feet.of.fury I‘m really enjoying it so far! 5mo
20 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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FlowerFairy
The Beach | Alex Garland
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It‘s a chilly, windy day here in Florida but we can still take a trip to the beach!

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mackelie
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Pickpick

First book to finish this year! Not very wintery but I started it on a holiday so I guess that‘s alright.

Richard follows a secret map to a paradise beach in Thailand. He soon adapts to the life there and tries to protect it at all costs. Unfortunately, it cannot be protected forever…

It started slow but it was captivating as I was living this experience as Richard. Definitely a pick if you haven‘t seen the movie!

24 likes2 stack adds
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VanessaCW
The Beach | Alex Garland
Panpan

I read this with my book group. Sadly it wasn‘t my cup of tea. I couldn‘t engage with it although I think it‘s well written and even easy to read. The ending just left me thinking, well, what was that all about, then? Much ado about nothing. 🤷‍♀️

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britt_brooke
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I did this backward. I loved this film many years ago, and at the time, didn‘t realize it was a novel. It feels like a fairly realistic commune. And it didn‘t hurt that I was picturing Leo and Tilda Swinton as the leads. It‘s an island with a naturally formed hierarchy, alliances, etc. They SOUGHT a utopian society. Stop the Lord of the Flies comparisons. Ralph, Piggy and all had NO choice but survival. But I digress. This is good! ⬇️

britt_brooke Ugh, I hate movie tie-in covers. (edited) 4y
MommyOfTwo I didn‘t know it was a book! I remember seeing it in the theater! 4y
britt_brooke @MommyOfTwo I didn‘t know until maybe a couple of years ago! It‘s crazy how many things were adapted back before it seemed so prevalent. It‘s such a good movie! I‘m planning to watch it again soon. From what I recall, it def did the book justice. Trainspotting is another one. Planning to read that soon. 4y
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vivastory Great review! Looking forward to your thoughts on Trainspotting. I went through a brief Irvine Welsh phase that ended when I read his book Filth. I will say that Trainspotting has several vivid drug scenes that continue to haunt me years later. 4y
britt_brooke @vivastory I haven‘t read any of his books ... yet! 😅 I‘m going to need to be in the right headspace - whatever that is - for Trainspotting. I‘ll tag you when I get to it. 4y
Cinfhen I had this book sent to Florida ~ so it‘s here waiting for me ❣️❣️❣️well actually, my SIL already pilfered my copy😉so it‘s actually in her apartment 😁 you‘re blowing through so many books!!! Audiobooks are amazing 4y
ElizaMarie I didn't realize this was a book! I am definitely stacking it! 4y
JamieArc I read this book in high school and it‘s one of the books I remember really well! As for Trainspotting, I had to read that for a class and I remember hating reading it just because I couldn‘t understand the written-in accent. Audiobook would have made it much better for me. 4y
britt_brooke @Cinfhen I think you‘ll like this! I‘m hoping to rewatch the movie soon. Are you in the states now?? And yes ... audiobooks are a total game changer! I often listen to several hours a day. 🎧🙌🏻 4y
britt_brooke @ElizaMarie It‘s a good read! Hope you enjoy it, too. 4y
britt_brooke @JamieArc That‘s good to know about Trainspotting. I‘ll def go audio! 4y
Cinfhen Yup.... I arrived in Miami on Tuesday and I‘ll be with family until mid April @britt_brooke 💜💚💜💚 4y
britt_brooke @Cinfhen How fun!! 💚💚 4y
104 likes13 comments
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BarbaraBB
The Beach | Alex Garland
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#BookReport 08/21

I‘ve read these three this week. All set in Asia and I enjoyed all of them. Not in the picture is We Ride Upon Sticks which I started but put aside for now.

Megabooks Great week! 4y
emilyhaldi You put Sticks aside already??? I decided I‘m going to skip that one bc it just sounds like my worst kind of book 😂 4y
TrishB @emilyhaldi I didn‘t fancy it at all either! 4y
TrishB Good week 👍🏻 4y
60 likes4 comments
review
BarbaraBB
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Pickpick

Searching for adventure and for a place not yet spoilt by tourists, narrator Richard and some other backpackers strand on an unknown island off the coast from #Thailand. Other people are already living there, all in search of their own Utopia. Things go smoothly for a while but then Lord of the Flies meets Lost and things start falling apart. Fun read, nothing special.

#ReadingAsia2021 🇹🇭#Pop21 #BestsellerOfThe1990s

Cathythoughts Nice review 👍🏻 4y
BarbaraBB @Cathythoughts Thank You Cathy 🤍 4y
Cinfhen Good to know I‘m not missing much xx 4y
See All 13 Comments
Cinfhen Pretty photo ♥️ 4y
Librarybelle I like that description- Lord of the Flies meets Lost! I‘m not a big Lord of the Flies fan, so I may skip this one. 4y
eeclayton I saw (and enjoyed) the film a few years ago; I didn't know it was based on a book though 4y
Kalalalatja I don‘t know why, but this book and Lord of the Flies have never appealed to me much. 🤷‍♀️ great review though! 4y
squirrelbrain I read this a loooong time ago, probably when it first came out, and I felt pretty much the same as you. Good, but not great and rather over-hyped. 4y
KarenUK Read it years ago too, when it first came out.... I actually remember loving it at the time.... but I was 22 so what did I know! 🤷‍♀️😂 @barbarabb @squirrelbrain (edited) 4y
Megabooks Great review!! I have no idea what I‘m going to use for this prompt. 4y
BarbaraBB @Megabooks I hear and read a lot about 4y
BarbaraBB @Megabooks Oh you probably mean the #pop21 prompt 🤦🏻‍♀️ 4y
Megabooks Lol! Yes I meant pop21 😂😂 4y
75 likes13 comments
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BarkingMadRead
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Cinfhen Woohoo 🙌🏻 🥳congrats on completing #Fall #Booked2020 💗This is your #OfficialFinalEntry 🎊WELL DONE 4y
Velvetfur Wehey! Well done on completing! 🎉👏🏻👍🏻😁 4y
BarkingMadRead @Velvetfur @Cinfhen thanks! It took way less time last year lol I will plan better for 2021! 4y
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Cinfhen You still made it!!!! Excited to have you back for #Booked2021 🥰 4y
Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Congratulations!! It doesn't matter that it took longer this year...you did it!! You crossed that finish line. 4y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Great job!! ♥️📚🎉 4y
42 likes1 stack add6 comments
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BarkingMadRead
The Beach | Alex Garland
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#nextup my final book for #booked2020 woohoo!

KristiDusk What is booked2020? 4y
erzascarletbookgasm @KristabellaBooks it‘s one of the reading challenges hosted by Littens here. There‘s another one next year, click the hashtag #Booked2021 to find out more. 4y
StayCurious Very nice photo! 4y
40 likes3 comments
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Jerdencon
The Beach | Alex Garland
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1. Only one I could think of
2. Usually bare feet except in the winter
3. Think it might be Mout Haleakala in Maui
4. Liver
5. Will wear my old navy pumpkin t shirt
#friyayintro @howjessreads

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Novelista71
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Pickpick

This book is really of its time, but heh! The main guy is a Brit.... what‘s an American dude like Leo doing in the lead role of the equally generation defining movie? Guess it‘s got something to do with Dollars. Love the book and the film has all the ‘moments‘ it can take from the story. Alex Garland a bit cool writing and directing Ex Machina

StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Welcome to Litsy 💖📖💖 5y
Readswithcoffee Welcome to Litsy 👍🏼📚📚📚👍🏼 5y
6 likes2 comments
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erzascarletbookgasm
The Beach | Alex Garland
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A group of young travellers searched for a beautiful, pristine beach on an uncharted island in Thailand, after one of them inherited a map to this ‘Eden‘...but #paradise comes at a price.

Background photo of Maya Bay, where the book was transformed into film starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

#JulyColdPlay

64 likes2 comments
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destinykay122
The Beach | Alex Garland
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"There's this saying: in an all-blue world, colour doesn't exist... If something seems strange, you question it; but if the outside world is too distant to use as a comparison then nothing seems strange." #AlexGarland #TheBeach

Kaylamburson Welcome to Litsy!!! I hope you love it here!! #litsywelcomewagon @LitsyWelcomeWagon 5y
Lynnsoprano Welcome to our Litsy family! 5y
Ericalambbrown Welcome to a Litsy! 😊📚🙏🏻 5y
See All 32 Comments
theresidentromantic @welcome to Litsy!! ♥️ 5y
Sarah24 Welcome to Litsy x 5y
SamAnne Welcome! 5y
DarcysMom Welcome to Litsy! 🤩 5y
MySharonaK Welcome to Litsy 💐 5y
BenbowsBK Welcome to Litsy, Destiny! Did you see Denisha is reading #MySisterTheSerialKiller ? O_o 5y
SarahHarts_books Welcome to Litsy! 🎉😊🎉😊🎉 5y
BookwormAHN Welcome to Litsy 😺 5y
jpmcwisemorgan Welcome to Litsy!!! 5y
SW-T Welcome to Litsy 😊 5y
CandiReadsBooks Welcome to Litsy!! 5y
rretzler Welcome to Litsy! 📖 5y
Soubhiville Hi! Welcome! (edited) 5y
jenreads7 Welcome to Litsy! 🎉📚 5y
JanuarieTimewalker13 Welcome to Litsy📚❤️ 5y
CarolynM Welcome to Litsy 🌼 5y
LMJenkins Welcome! ⭐️🏖 5y
BookmarkTavern Welcome to Litsy! ❤️📚❤️ 5y
MemoirsForMe Welcome to all the fun! 😊👋🏻📚📚📚 5y
Smrloomis Welcome! 🥳 5y
destinykay122 @BenbowsBK yes! 😂 I want to read it as well 🤷🏾‍♀️ 5y
TheBookAddict 👋🏽 🙂 hope you like it here! What‘s your current read? I‘m reading The Library Wars graphic novel series and Pet Semetary by Stephen King. 5y
tpixie Welcome 🥳📚🥳 5y
Nute Welcome to Litsy! It‘s a warm and friendly community. I know that you will enjoy yourself here. I‘m looking forward to getting to know you!🙂 5y
DebinHawaii Welcome to Litsy!! 🎉📚🎉Hope you enjoy it here! 5y
wanderinglynn Welcome to Litsy! 👋🏻 5y
RaimeyGallant Welcome! 5y
Eggs Welcome to Litsy 👏🏻🤗 5y
flying_monkeys ✨ Welcome to Litsy ✨ 5y
97 likes3 stack adds32 comments
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bookworm.krizia
The Beach | Alex Garland
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review
bookworm.krizia
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Mehso-so

This is book #1 for my summer reading. It was a good book to kick off my summer. Mr. Garland has successfully created an atmosphere of the secret beach and the hippie community. I felt the heat and the saltiness of the air. The ending also has a good twist, totally unexpected (I haven't watched the film!).

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Skyrimir
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Reading in front of the fire tonight!

BeansPage That looks SO cool! 6y
Heideschrampf It took me a full minute to figure out this were glowing coals 🙈 lovely, enjoy! 6y
21 likes2 comments
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BookishTrish
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Pickpick

I read and re-read it as a traveler in the late 1990s. Now 20 years later it‘s still a good story but I don‘t live it as I read anymore and couldn‘t stop picturing Tilda as Sal.

66 likes1 stack add
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BookishTrish
The Beach | Alex Garland
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TFW your summer book overstays its welcome a smidge

LeahBergen 😂😂 6y
59 likes2 comments
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BookishTrish
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Over the last 20 years I‘ve seen the movie much more often than I‘ve read the book. I‘ve been stuck on the rice run section all week because it‘s so different from the film and yet it was the book I initially preferred.

LA_Mead I‘ve never read the book but I‘ll have to check it out! 6y
BookishTrish @LA_Mead I‘m not sure it‘s aged particularly well but at the time it I was travelling and it felt so possible. 6y
60 likes1 stack add2 comments
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melissajayne
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Pickpick

I quite enjoyed the book. A more adult version of Lord of the Flies. Very good book. #bookclub ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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melissajayne
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Starting this tonight #bookclub #eveningreads

26 likes1 stack add
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CAchinfire
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Reading The Beach at the beach! Definitely a must read for adventurers and adrenaline junkies. It‘s a book that will never lose its relevance. Today‘s millennials are as free spirited and full of angst as the backpackers in the book. In reading their story, I find resolution to some of my own angst about coming to be.

Chelleo Mabuhay! Welcome to Litsy! Hope these #Litsytips by @RaimeyGallant http://bit.ly/litsytips and #LitsyHowTo videos: goo.gl/UrCpoU are helpful. There‘s so many fun things to do: book exchanges, buddy reads, photo challenges and more! Check out @LitsyHappenings for details. #LitsyWelcomeWagon 6y
RaimeyGallant Welcome! 6y
Eggs Welcome to Litsy 👋🏻🌸 6y
8 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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GripLitGrl
The Beach | Alex Garland
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laurenlovesliterature
The Beach | Alex Garland
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I love this place! Finally in the ocean...but safely away from sharks! Yasssssss!!💗😀✌

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laurenlovesliterature
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Unfortunately we couldn't go 🏊 because there was a shark spotted. Fortunately we didn't get eaten by sharks! #silverlining

SledgeReader 😬😬😬😬😬 6y
16 likes1 comment
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Ruthiella
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Photo Credit: Pottery Barn
For me any #bookandbeachtowel combo would have to be a mass market paperback! So if it gets wet, dirty, blobbed with suntan lotion I don‘t feel bad. Read a hardcover pool or beach side🏖 ? NEVER! 😱
#ReadingResolutions

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jillannjohn
The Beach | Alex Garland
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1. From my summer TBR - the tagged book and some others about amazing vacation spots: Next Year in Havana, The Vacationers, Love and Ruin...
2. Seahorse - they‘re so cool looking!
3. Gulf Shores, Alabama/Perdido Key, Florida
#manicmonday

JoScho Seahorse are cool looking and love that the male carries the babies. 7y
LitsyOwl 💙Gulf Shores 🐬 7y
40 likes3 comments
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mrp27
The Beach | Alex Garland
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One more for you, @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks hard to capture the charm with my limited skills and phone camera.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I‘m in love!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️ 7y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Soooo beautiful!!!! Please tell her that I love it!!! 7y
mrp27 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Thanks, I will. 7y
GypsyKat Beautiful!!! 7y
44 likes1 stack add4 comments
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ReadosaurusText
The Beach | Alex Garland
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1. ALL OF THEM, but especially figure skating
2. Alex Garland
3. December
4. Star Wars: The Last Jedi
5. HBD, February babies! 🎁🥂🎈

#friyayintro @jesshowbooks

Pheonixlike December 🤘🤘 woot woot woot woot 6y
40 likes1 comment
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Victoriahoperose
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Mehso-so

I really like the premise of this book and find a lot of it disturbing and scary in a lot of ways. But I just really hated the main character and I felt like unfortunately it was dated in ways that caused a disconnect. It was an interesting book, just not a favorite for me.

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NikkieLH
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Had to buy this book as it looked so pretty and it‘s an anniversary edition 😍 and now it‘s time to read it 🤓

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RinaBrahmbhattBarot
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Pickpick
KerriNTurner Any of the Crazy Rich Asians books by Kevin Kwan 7y
ErikasMindfulShelf @KerriNTurner I just listened to the first one and it was so much fun!! 7y
RinaBrahmbhattBarot @KerriNTurner sounds like a must read - I'll check out :) 7y
37 likes3 comments
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addendumadventure
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Mehso-so

I feel like this book was a victim of the times. Disappearing for months on end in a foreign country just doesn‘t seem possible these days. I kept thinking ‘when are these people going to call their parents?!‘ Or ‘why does no one care that they are missing?‘ That aside there is a lot of adult Lord of the Flies action and some really great descriptions of Thailand.

BookishTrish It was pretty doable back in the 90s 7y
3 likes1 comment
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ReadosaurusText
The Beach | Alex Garland
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My husband proposed to me with an inscription from one of my favorite authors. When I looked up from the book, he was down on one knee. #sentimental #fallintobooks @RealLifeReading

BarbaraTheBibliophage What a great story! 7y
LiteraryinPA Oh, that's so sweet! 7y
DGRachel That's so awesome!! 7y
See All 21 Comments
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Awwww so sweet!!!! 😊❤️ 7y
Jas16 That is fantastic! 7y
Andrea4 That's such a sweet proposal story- many blessings! 7y
Owlizabeth 😍😭😍 7y
ReadosaurusText @Owlizabeth ♥️💜♥️ 7y
Megabooks ❤️❤️❤️ 7y
bitterbear WHAT!!!!!! 7y
ReadosaurusText @bitterbear I know. I don't even know how he thought of it. 7y
bitterbear 😍😍😍😍😍!!!! 7y
RealLifeReading Ohhhhhh! This is amazing! 7y
booksandsympathy Beautiful!!! 7y
MicheleinPhilly ❤️❤️❤️ 7y
mcipher That is adorable!! 7y
BookishTrish This is such a lovely story ❤️ 6y
67 likes21 comments
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wanderlustforwords
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Because I wish I was at the Beach! Have you read it? Freaking and great! #book #bibliophile #read #booklover

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CarrieASchless
The Beach | Alex Garland
Pickpick

This is my go to book that I can reread over again. The characters are amazing, the writing draws you in and I read it in 2 days before I went to watch the film. The film misses out one of my favourite characters. Would recommend this book to anybody.

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bookish.mum
The Beach | Alex Garland
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'Escape through travel works. Almost from the moment I boarded my flight, life in England became meaningless. Seat-belt signs lit up, problems switched off. Broken armrests took precedence over broken hearts. By the time the plane was airborne I'd forgotten England even existed.' - Richard

#alexgarland #thebeach #bookworm #bibliophile #booknerd #bookish #booklover

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Diaryofabibliophagist
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Still reading The Beach and Alex Garland has committed the author crime of revealing appearance details half way through that completely reconstruct 170 pages of mental image 😒 Still a great and gripping book though!

2 likes1 stack add
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JacintaMCarter
The Beach | Alex Garland
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If the movie is any indication, this probably wouldn't be the most relaxing #BeachRead. #SplashIntoSummerReads

kristina_with_a_k But it sure is good! 7y
34 likes1 stack add1 comment
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KarenUK
The Beach | Alex Garland
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#day20 #junetunz #cruelsummer I love this book, and it's so much better than the movie... of course! This is the story of a paradise that is truly lost, with a Utopian society of Western travelers on a secret beach, that unravels to reveal a cruel and sinister reality.... also works for #beachread #splashintosummerreading 😊👍

Abailliekaras Oh, this was a nightmare! I'm having cave swimming flashbacks & feeling claustrophobic all over again. 7y
64 likes4 stack adds1 comment
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Book_Gnome
The Beach | Alex Garland
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Opening line: "They first I heard of the beach was in Bangkok, on the Khoi San Road." #thebeach #alexgarland #penguinbooks #book #bookish #bookgnome #firstline #bookcover

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